I don't know what caused this, does anyone know how to prevent it?

OK , Im taking this one! Lack of water is a good start.. Your tall bearded Iris" look like they are growing well & the roots of the Iris are more than likely stealing all the liliums nutrient & water

Chance of a late frost?

no frosts that late, and we had a mild winter. No lack of water whatsoever. The iris was planted last fall and it has rained like crazy this spring. Cannot get a thing done out here because of the rain.
It reached its full height and has plenty of buds and no critters that I can see. All the buds look twisted or curved and are not opening right.

Then maybe a nutrient deficiency? Or a virus of some kind? Maybe just a bad year. I'm interested to see what other people might think

This looks like some of my lilies. We have had a very wet spring.

Is it a new lily, planted this spring or last fall?

planted last spring.

>>>planted last spring.
So it's already been through a year of normal growth.

It seems the first (and oldest) flower is the most affected, the second moderately affected, and last (and youngest) flower least affected. Or, maybe it's the complete opposite. Either way, something happened that was a only temporary. We can rule out virus.

the last one opened today and it looks fine

Crimson Pixie>>Poor Performance.

Kind of a brain teaser. Read this and see what you think may have caused this. I have a couple ideas but it just boggles my mind how any weather influence could have such a broad base affect and so near 100% uniform. I'd like to hear even your wildest ideas, comments and questions on what caused this one.

Something quite unusual is happening this year with Crimson Pixie around here at my place. I've had this cultivar since the early 90's, always a dependable and steady performer. The first picture below is very typical of form and color, etc. But something strange is going on. This year all of the flowers are antherless and most don't even have a stigma. That's right! I have these in three separate gardens in pretty good numbers--about 100 bulbs or so, and every single flower is antherless. Moreover, the petals are not full as they should be. See second and third pictures. Bud count was less overall with many little ones turning white and aborting. Otherwise, the plants themselves look healthy and earlier this Spring while during clean up I moved a double nose out from some iris and it was huge, a perfect picture of health. In addition, a five gallon pot of these was forced, being brought inside in late January for early blooming. They had been in the pot for a full year prior and well established performers. All had good bud count: six stems had 5 and one stem had 4 full size buds and flowers with normal anthers and stigmas (see last pic). The petals, however, were just like the ones out there now--not full.

Here are some events to consider.

Over 11 inches of rain in October 2015
Over 6 inches of rain in November 2015
Winter season temperatures ran 4 to 6' F above monthly averages.
Spring season rainfall was average through April but only 1.25 inches of rain since May 1st, 2016.
Three late frosts and hard freeze conditions but no apparent or noticeable damage whatsoever to Asiatic (but was there?)
Spring daytime high temperatures have been seasonal or slightly below average.
The three gardens are about 200 feet apart from each other.

Typical


This year, next two







Last picture, forced pot/bud counts, etc.

looks just like something that would show up here
went out today and I swear on a stack of my grandma's bibles that I had two different colors of blooms on ONE stalk. My daughter looked at it, and said Mom that's cool!

weird.

I have no idea what would cause that, especially in a hundred plants! wow

Grandma collects bibles? Me too!
It's not so uncommon for lily color to drastically fade to white as flowers age, and there are a few that actually change their hue as they age, too.
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Lorn, it was fortuitous that you had forced that one pot, and noted different results. At least you know there are two (or more) causes: one (or more) happening by mid winter when you brought the pot in for forcing - causing abnormal petals, and one (or more) after that - affecting reproductive organs.

I've read a paper or two that explained how waterlogged soils can cause certain nutrient deficiencies. If I remember correctly (really not sure) I think it was manganese and/or magnesium, and potassium. That's all I got for ya now, but I'll be thinking more about it....

I've had a few blooms that look deformed like your Frillylily. For me it has been mostly on the first or second blooms to open and later ones look better. I guess I have just blamed it on the dry, then very wet and now dry weather. Also lots of fast temp changes.

Lorn, yours is really an interesting mystery. Will be interested in hearing what happens net year.

We have had lots of rain so I don't think it's that, but the temp changes here are crazy.

Rick, I know the blooms fade as they age, but these were open within a day of eachother.
Here is a pic One is pink, the other purple

Yes, exactly - within days. Again, most fade to a lighter color (whatever that may be), but some change hues (not tints), as yours do. And it looks like yours darken with age? I think you will find it is normal for the cultivar, given the same conditions. The change can amplify or lessen with more or less heat, sun, etc.